At 22-7 entering the week with an undefeated 4-0 South Bay League record, this season’s Sweetwater High School boys volleyball team has to be one of the best on record at the National City school.
“We have 10 seniors, and the core of this team has been together for three years,” SuHi coach Erik Hernandez said. “We have a lot of experience. League is important, but the expectation is to get to CIF and win it.”
Those just might words to live by this spring.
The Red Devils, 20-2 against section teams, swept visiting Mar Vista by scores of 25-13, 25-17, 25-17 last Friday and started the new week with a three-games-to-one victory against Hilltop on Monday, winning by scores of 25-20, 25-20, 27-29, 15-15.
Sweetwater entered the week fourth in the Division III section power rankings behind Mater Dei Catholic (17-7), Escondido Charter (19-7) and The Cambridge School (13-6). The Devils were at the top of the list prior to competing in a tournament in Las Vegas over Spring Break.
“It was a chance to travel and get in some games against good competition,” Hernandez said.
While in the desert, Sweetwater paired up against seven out-of-town programs: Virgin Valley, Southeast Career Tech, Somerset Sky Pointe, Coral Academy of Science Las Vegas, Centennial, Bishop Gorman and Mojave. The National City team finished 2-5.
Impact players on this year’s SuHi team include senior outside hitter Jaeden Brown, junior setter Sergio Salazar and senior libero Kalvin Arcedera.
Brown ranks among the Top 10 section kills leaders on the MaxPreps website while Salazar ranks among the top five assists leaders.
Brown tops Sweetwater with 295 kills and 51 serving aces. Salazar paces the Devils with 651` assists and 71 blocked shots and ranks second with 175 digs. Arcedera leads the team with 260 digs and is second with 27 assists.
Section losses have some against San Marcos (Division II, ranked seventh) and Foothills Christian (Division III, ranked 10th).
The section playoffs will field teams in seven divisions this spring: Open Division (eight teams), Division I (12 teams), Division II (12 teams), Division III (12 teams), Division IV (12 teams), Division V (10 teams) and Division V-AA (12 teams).
League champions will have automatic entry.
Seeding will be conducted May 3 with the opening rounds scheduled May 6-7. The section finals are scheduled May 15-17 at MiraCosta College (Division V and Division V-AA), Mira Mesa High School (Division I and Division III) and Francis Parker School (Division II and Division IV).
The Open Division will be conducted in a double-elimination format with the higher-seeded team hosting. Finals are scheduled May 17 at the Francis Parker School.
Eastlake (11-11) entered the week ranked 12th among Division I teams while Bonita Vista (12-11) and Otay Ranch (6-12) were ranked 17th and 18th, respectively, among the 20 teams in the division. The top eight teams advance to Open Division play.
Open Division contenders at midseason include Torrey Pines (16-2), Carlsbad (26-2), Canyon Crest Academy (31-0), Francis Parker (16-9), Scripps Ranch (13-4), Cathedral Catholic (12-3), St, Augustine (14-8) and Classical Academy (19-10).
Del Norte (14-8), Granite Hills (17-8) and Bishop’s (14-8) are immediately ahead of Eastlake.
Division II leaders include No. 1 El Cajon Valley (25-3), No. 2 Clairemont (17-7), No. 3 San Dieguito Academy (16-8), No. 4 La Jolla (11-14), No. 5 Mission Hills (8-4), No. 6 University City (14-7), No. 7 San Marcos (10-9), No. 8 Pacific Ridge (12-10), No. 9 Mt. Carmel (11-14) and No. 10 Patrick Henry (12-5).
Olympian (9-21) is ranked 18th out of 19 teams in the division.
Division III leaders include No. 1 Mater Dei Catholic, No. 2 Escondido Charter, No. 3 The Cambridge School, No. 4 Sweetwater, No. 5 Madison (12-10), No. 6 Maranatha Christian (19-4), No. 7 Calexico (15-4), No. 8 El Camino (12-12), No. 9 Coastal Academy (10-9) and No. 10 Foothills Christian (12-8).
Following the division leaders are No. 11 Montgomery (11-12), No. 16 Hilltop (4-8) and No. 18 Mar Vista (5-16).
Division IV leaders include No. 1 Lincoln (11-5), No. 2 High Tech High Mesa (7-11-1), No. 3 San Pasqual (12-4), No. 4 Victory Christian Academy (9-6), No. 5 West Hills (14-9), No. 6 Christian (10-10), No. 7 Southwest (12-10), No. 8 El Capitan (15-10), No. 9 Ramona (5-14) and No. 10 Valhalla (8-9).
Chula Vista (9-15) is ranked No. 17 (out of 19 teams).
Division V leaders include No. 1 San Ysidro (14-9), No. 2 Central Union (14-8), No. 3 Crawford (13-4), No. 4 High Tech High Chula Vista (6-3), No. 5 Southwest El Centro (12-19), No 6 Monte Vista (12-6), No. 7 Valley Center (4-9-1), No. 8 Imperial (7-17), No. 9 Brawley (5-16) and No. 10 Hoover (4-5).
Metro Conference teams in the 16-team mix include No. 12 Castle Park (2-8) and No. 15 Bayfront Charter (0-3).
Division V-AA leaders include No. 1 Horizon Prep (10-7), No. 2 Calvin Christian (4-7), No. 3 Tri-City Christian (7-7), No. 4 Chula Vista Learning Community Charter (6-7), No. 5 St. Joseph Academy (7-5), No. 6 SET High (9-10), No. 7 Mountain Empire (4-5), No. 8 Army-Navy Academy (3-5), No. 9 Escondido Adventist Academy (2-8) and No. 10 Monarch Academy (1-6).
National City’s San Diego Academy (10-5) is ranked No. 12.
Victory Christian Academy won last year’s Division V-AA section title.
Eastlake leaders include junior Sean Fleming (213 kills, 32 aces), junior Simon Greer (29 blocks), senior Samuel Almendarez (120 digs) and senior Robert Almendarez (212 assists).
Montgomery leaders include senior Diego Sandoval (174 kills), sophomore Elonzo Enriquez (28 aces), senior Matthew Ogir (22 blocks), senior Ryken Lusby (255 digs) and senior Jafer Vazquez (270 assists).
San Ysidro leaders include junior Jake Elguira (115 kills), senior Sebastian Castro (35 aces, 433 assists), junior Jair Flores (63 blocks) and junior Ryan Nance (346 digs).
Red Hots: SuHi spikers are on the prowl
Hanging 10
Sweetwater High School Seniors
Eldrin Rodriguez MB
Jon Tapayan L, OPP
Federico Rosales OPP, MB
Darren Hermoso OPP
Aimiel Lalu L, S, DS
Kalvin Arcedera L, OH
Tuan Lien MB
Ryan Agyinaldo OH
Jordan San Agustin MB, OH
Jaeden Brown OH
Coach: Erik Hernandez
Sweetwater Boys Volleyball Tournament
Gold Division: Del Norte def. Poway 25-21, 25-18
Silver Division: San Marcos def. Helix 25-15, 25-23
Bronze Division: Sylmar def. Calexico 25-22, 14-25, 15-9
Copper Division: The Cambridge School def, El Camino, N/A
Steel Division: Fallbrook def. West Hills, N/A
Iron Division: Escondido Charter def. Southwest 25-19, 25
Titanium Division: San Ysidro def. Chula Vista, N/A
